Responses of equine tendon- and bone marrow-derived cells to monolayer expansion with fibroblast growth factor-2 and sequential culture with pulverized tendon and insulin- like growth factor-I

Objective—To compare in vitro expansion of equine tendon- and bone marrow–derived cells with fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) supplementation and sequential matrix synthesis with pulverized tendon and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). Sample—Cells from 6 young adult horses. Procedures—Progenitor cells were expanded in monolayers with FGF-2, followed by culture with autogenous acellular pulverized tendon and IGF-I for 7 days. Initial cell isolation and subsequent monolayer proliferation were assessed. In pulverized tendon cultures, cell viability and expression of collagen types I and III and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) mRNAs were assessed. Collagen and glycosaminoglycan syntheses were quantified over a 24-hour period. Results—Monolayer expansion with FGF-2 significantly increased the mean ± SE number of tendon-derived cells (15.3 ± 2.6 × 106), compared with bone marrow–derived cells (5.8 ± 1.8 × 106). Overall, increases in collagen type III and COMP mRNAs were seen in tendon-derived c...